Thursday, September 10, 2015

Many folks know I was deeply disappointed with The Descent DLC for Dragon Age Inquisition, so of course I was skeptical about the Trespasser DLC. Then I watched the teaser trailer for it and then watched it again. It gave me hope because it not only looked interesting, it promised answers to many of the questions we were left with at the end of the main story line and as this is the final DLC it promised to give an ending to the story.

The beginning of Trespasser took an interesting perspective setting the scene two years later after the events with Corypheus. What happens when a world that needed saving no longer needs saving? is the main question of Trespasser as it begins at The Winter Palace for a meeting with the Exalted Council.

The Inquisition on parade at The Winter Palace

I played this DLC on my female Qunari Inquisitor. For the first few minutes I enjoyed actually getting to run around different areas of the Winter Palace and catching up with old friends. There are some really nice revelations with them; one of them with Cole caused me to smile a lot. My Qunari had romanced Sera and there is a scene with them that had me grinning from ear to ear because it was so sweet. There is also a nice moment with whichever character you chose to be the new Divine.

The story then moves on to the Council meeting and the debate over the purpose of the Inquisition when the Inquisitor and friends discover that their actions and meeting have drawn the attention of the Qun and they must work together for one last mission to save everyone in Thedas again. Their quest brings them through the Eluvian crossroads and as you travel through many Eluvians you learn more about the history of the Elves and how a certain old friend is a big part of it.

Eluvians, a faster way to travel!

As your journey continues, there are new abilities with the Anchor for your Inquisitor, but the mark on their hand is also slowly killing them. It puts into perspective for the key members of the Inquisition the possibility of the Inquisitor dying and what that could mean for everyone as well as what the future could hold. Many of the conversations my Inquisitor had with her friends pondering what it could mean had me smiling sadly, because these were characters that I had come to care about and it is always hard to say goodbye, but goodbyes happen and people move on.

The environments in Trespasser are beautiful making for fun exploration. There are a few interesting puzzles as well. You pick up more lore and hints about various characters which include some insights about your current mission. There are highlighted spots where you can listen to observations from people in your party; some are touching and some are humorous adding more to the story.

Exploring areas behind the Eluvians

The battles with the Qun while a little trying which included a boss battle, (seriously, why does everything have so much health?) were not nearly as frustrating or impossible as some of the battles in Descent. You also learn some things about the Qun and the threat to Thedas. And of course it wouldn't be Dragon Age if there wasn't at least one fight with a dragon, but that had an interesting twist to it too which actually gave you a choice about the situation.

Inquisitor and friends battling Qun soldiers

As you get to the end, there are some big reveals in Trespasser. A lot of the big questions get answered and it does give a sense of closure to the Inquisition story. Without spoiling it, there is even a hugely deep conversation with an old friend that brings to light many things and hints at what the future may bring. Trespasser does wrap things up very neatly and gives you a sense of finality to the game with a proper ending. Whatever you decide to do with the Inquisition's fate, you do get a lovely moment with artistic sketches that shows you what happens to all who were involved in the Inquisition. The one with Varric had me giggling, because it seemed so hilarious and yet it was perfect for him.

A gorgeous view for the Inquisitor and an old friend

While it was sad to say goodbye, I wouldn't have it any other way. Trespasser did a great job of giving a solid ending to Dragon Age Inquisition and setting up the next location for the possibility of Dragon Age 4. So perhaps it's not a permanent goodbye and we may see the Inquisitor and their friends in one form or another in the next game. Trespasser definitely redeemed the Dragon Age Inquisition DLC in my eyes after Descent because it had all the bells, whistles, and more. It's definitely worth checking out and absolutely worth playing. Just a little side note, sit through the credits because there is a hysterically funny and adorable moment with Cassandra.

About Me

I'm married and a mother, but manage to find time for my gaming, writing, and film viewing. I'm also a huge nerd when it comes to anything with Hello Kitty or giant robots. It's a living. Mother Gamer is just my opinion about my personal gaming experience and other nerdy things I love. You may not agree and that's okay. Variety is what makes the world an awesome place. Happy gaming!